Hey guys! This was actually my first Bellarke fic and once again I posted it on AO3 without even thinking to post it here! Yeah, I know it's super short, but if it goes over well maybe I'll turn it into a That Time Series of oneshots? We'll see. It might be awhile before I get back to it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy. :)

Disclaimer: I hold no ownership over any of these characters or settings. If I did, Bellarke would have been canon many moons ago.

Clarke looked down at her hands still buried in her lap. The ugly bruises and scares were a constant reminder of all the horrible things she had done to survive and keep her people safe. Even if they did eventually fade from her skin, the scares on her soul would never disappear. This new world had forever tainted her, and right now, Clarke wanted nothing more then to hide from the shame eating away at her heart.

And then Bellamy was sitting down beside her. His eyes travelled down to her hands, and feeling embarrassed, Clarke turned her face and tried to hide them out of sight, but Bellamy immediately reached out to her. "Don't." His hands, protective and warm, enclosed around her fingers, pulling them back into the orange glow of the fire. The gentle tone of his voice was enough for Clarke to find the courage to look up at him—her pale blue eyes exposing her hesitance and vulnerability as Bellamy brushed his thumb over her skin. He gently traced the scares that painted her small, delicate hands. "You're beautiful," he told her, with so much passion, so much reverence, Clarke felt her heart quiver. "Don't ever forget that."

Before Clarke even realized what she was doing, her lips found their way onto Bellamy's. He seemed a little startled at first—having usually been the one to initiate all of their kisses—but he quickly responded by cradling her cheek with his right hand and caressing her neck with his left. Every place he touched burned hot like the flames in front of them. His hand tangled into her blonde hair, gently twiddling the soft strands between his forefinger and thumb.

Clarke attempted to deepen the kiss, but before she could, Bellamy pulled back and nodded his head in the direction of their camp. "Too crowded," he said with the twinge of a smirk just as Clarke noticed a few of their friends lounging lazily nearby. Her shy smile earned her another soft kiss on the cheek before Bellamy pulled her into his arms, letting her use his chest as a pillow. Clarke sighed contently while listening to the calm, steady heartbeat of her lover and found salvation in his embrace. "You're a good person, Clarke," he whispered intimately in her ear. "One day I'll make you see how truly beautiful you are. Inside and out." Clarke could only nuzzle in closer to him and try to force away the wetness in her eyes. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

Thanks for reading! If you'd like more, please leave a review! They always fill me with inspiration to write more. :)